The Life and Death of Isabella Swan
by ImHereToReview
Summary: Isabella Swan's battle with a near constant illness baffles doctors. Can anyone find the cure before it's too late?  E&B, canon pairings, lemons to come
1. prologue

**The Life and Death of Isabella Swan**

**!READ THIS FIRST!**

**WELCOME to The Life and Death of Isabella Swan! Okay, that sounds a little morbid but I assure you that is not my intention. Please know ahead of time that I am a firm believer of HEA's and would never let my readers down. That being said, PLEASE give this story a fighting chance.**

**Disclaimer: I'm only going to say this once…so listen up. The characters in this story are not mine, they belong to Stephanie Meyer – always have and always will. **

**This story and all the amazingness that I put into it, however…is mine. Please do not steal it. I've worked very hard on it. This story will contain laughter and tears, love and hate, lemons and lemons (yeah I couldn't think of anything else there, shut up), life and death, friends and lovers. I will not kill off your favorite characters…that being said DON'T ask me to explain the title. If you read long enough, you'll get it.**

**IF YOU ARE UNDER THE AGE OF EIGHTEEN, stop reading and move along please. I will not be responsible for contributing to the delinquency of any minors…well, except maybe Edward and Bella…but they are fictional characters and I can mess with them as I please.**

**Oh…and one last thing. This prologue is being posted because I can't seem to control myself. I, however, do no intent on posting any additional chapters until the new year. Please be patient and I hope you love my little story.**

~*~TLaDoIS~*~

Prologue

Esme entered through the main doors of the hospital and headed straight for the gift shop, with little Edward in tow. He didn't understand why it was important to get Isabella a gift just because she was sick. But once he saw the candy and stuffed animals that seemed to overflow from the shelves, he picked up his pace.

"Mommy, why do we gotta get Ithabella a present?" he asked his mother while checking out his candy options.

"Why do we _have_ to get Isabella a present," she corrected.

He furrowed his brow in thought and nodded. He didn't think the way he asked was wrong but his mother did, so he tried again.

"Why do we _have_ to get Ithabella a present?" Esme smiled and brought her hand forward to push the unruly hair from his forehead.

"Better," she responded.

He didn't know if she meant his hair or his reworked question. If it was about his hair he let it go. He didn't care about his stupid hair.

"Don't you like when Alice brings you a Popsicle when you're not feeling well?"

He thought about it. He really did like Popsicles but when Alice brought them they usually had a few licks taken from them first. He scrunched up his nose at the thought of his little sister licking his Popsicle. But being a rough and tumble little boy he didn't let the idea linger too long. A partially licked Popsicle was better than no Popsicle at all.

He looked up at his mother and nodded with a tiny smile on his face.

"So don't you think that Isabella would like a gift while she's sick, too?"

His eyes lit up and he turned to search the rest of the store for Popsicles. A gentle hand on his shoulder stopped him from getting too far.

"Edward," his mother warned in her warm, motherly, don't-take-another-step tone.

"Mommy," he whined. "I wanna get her thum Popthicles."

Esme smiled and tried to keep her giggle quiet. She didn't want Edward to think his idea was a bad one, just that he needed to be redirected a little.

"I think that's a really sweet idea, baby boy, but the gift shop doesn't have Popsicles."

His little brows pulled together and he thought hard about that. He couldn't understand why on earth they wouldn't have Popsicles.

"How about we look at the balloons instead?"

_Balloons?_ He liked balloons. Who didn't like balloons?

"Okay," he agreed. "And I can have one too?" he asked in a hopeful little voice.

His mother shook her head. "No balloons for you, Edward. We're here for Isabella, remember?" She wanted him to understand the reason for the visit, as much as a five year old could anyway.

He frowned at the loss and folded his arms over his chest with a pout puckering his lips. Esme knew he was being a typical boy but she wanted him to think of others before he thought of his own wants.

She pulled his arms away from his chest and took his hand in her own. He begrudgingly followed behind her with a scowl on his face and a stomp in his step. He was so upset about not getting his own balloon that he refused to help Esme pick one for Isabella. She chose one with a yellow face that had a white thing with numbers on it hanging out of its mouth. It had some words on it too, but he didn't know what they said…and he didn't care. When they turned to leave the shop, Esme handed Edward the balloon.

"Here, you can hold this until we get to her room. Okay?"

The idea of just _holding_ the balloon appealed to him, so he took it happily. She wrapped the ribbon around his hand twice and gave him the loose end.

"Hold on to it tight. We don't want to lose it."

He nodded and squeezed his fingers tighter around the thin string. He carried it proudly through the halls and toward the elevator. He liked to ride the elevators too. It made his tummy feel funny. The fact that the balloon he carried was not his was no longer a thought in his head.

When they stopped at one of the doors, it was cracked open and Edward could hear Isabella crying. He didn't like the sound of her crying. A tear formed in his own eye as he thought about Isabella being sick.

He looked up at his mother and found her looking at him with a sad smile.

"Come on," she whispered and tugged his hand as she opened the door wide.

He sniffled and wiped away the tear with the back of his hand, the ribbon from the balloon scratching across his face.

He peered around the striped curtain and saw Isabella in a strange looking bed. A lady was putting a Band-Aid on her arm and saying something quietly in her ear.

"Look, Isabella. Edward's brought you a gift. Isn't that sweet of him?" Edward followed Isabella's eyes across the room to her mommy, Miss Renee. She gave him a sweet smile, which he returned before looking back at Isabella. She still had tears in her eyes.

He looked up at his mother. He didn't know what to do next. He'd only ever been to the hospital to see his daddy in his office. He was nervous being in the strange room while Isabella was crying.

His mother gave him a reassuring smile and nodded her head. "Go on."

He walked toward Isabella and the strange bed. He thought about how he would feel if he were in that bed and didn't like the idea. He felt sad for her.

"I'm thorry you don't theel good, Ithabella," Edward lisped around his missing front teeth. Isabella liked to look at the hole that once was Edward's teeth. He could stick his pink little tongue right through that hole, without even opening his mouth. They giggled about it on more than one occasion. "I brought you a balloon." He pushed the string toward her tiny hand.

She gave him a smile and he couldn't think of another time he'd seen her smile so big. He liked to see her smile. Giving her the balloon didn't seem like that bad an idea after all.

~*~TLaDoIS~*~

_**GIGANTIC first author's note – please read!**_

**I have been given the chance to gather the most…dare I say it…AMAZING team of ladies to help me along this journey and I would like to introduce them to you now.**

**My #1 Beta**** - **_**batgirl8968 **_This girl…*wipes away tears* THIS girl has been here from the very beginning. When my first story, SiML, was in the very early stages of what was supposed to be this teeny, short story…she was there. When I told her that I screwed up and had to extend the story by several more chapters…she was there. When I told her, "hey, I lost my other beta and now it's just you, babe," she was there. She's always been there. She's my #1 beta for a very, very good reason…she's earned it. I put her through unnecessary pain while attempting to fix my many mistakes. I'd be lost without her and could never thank her enough for all her hard work.

**My Beta #2**** – **_**FicObsessed **_Why #2 you ask? Because she was my second beta…duh. When I lost one of my beta's halfway through Such is My Luck I was reluctant to find anyone new to help me. Typical me, I was complaining on Twitter and she rode in on her white steed and….okay, that sounds like I'm writing another kind of fic. No seriously, she popped onto my Twitter feed and said, "I'll beta for you." Plain and simple…there you have it. I decided to give it a try and loved her instantly. She's been one of my beloved "fixers" ever since.

**My Prereader**** – **_**BellaScotia **_If you've not read any of her work, SHAME ON YOU. She and I started out as review buddies way back when and now she's climbed onboard with us and agreed to preread this next venture for me. She's amazingly sweet and kind. And I hope I don't turn her away from FanFiction forever with my painfully annoying writing.

**My Everything**** – **_**MandyLeigh87 **_She's my prereader, cohort, idea bouncer, second brain, confidant and twitter twin…aka, my everything. She has been and will continue to be my right hand. I run everything through her and highly respect every bit of critique, praise and/or criticism that she gives. I trust her beyond words. If you've not read any of her fics….WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?


	2. From The Very Beginning

**Happy New Year, my Dear Ones! So, I said I wouldn't post this until the new year and technically it's new year…somewhere, right? Right?**

~*~TLaDoIS~*~

Charlie Swan and Renee Dwyer were not your typical couple. Charlie was your down to earth, "let's think this thing through" kind of guy; while Renee was your late blooming, flighty hippy who liked to fly by the seat of her proverbial pants. At age 21, they fell in love quickly and into bed even faster. Some might say that their active sex life was what kept their unlikely relationship stable.

Renee was in her final year of college, finishing her nursing degree - an arrangement she had reluctantly agreed upon during one of her mother's many guilt trips- when she'd met Charlie during a frat party. She'd swooned at his thick Tom Selleck mustache and his cool, "I don't really want to be here" demeanor. Renee was the center of attention,-as usual- dancing provocatively in the center of the crowded room. She had plenty of guys vying for her attention but she only had eyes for one. She wouldn't be deterred from trying to gain the attention of one Charlie Swan.

Renee would find out later that evening that Charlie was not there as a student but a close friend to one of the other guys at the house. A year older than the party goers, Charlie was a student at the police academy and couldn't wait to pursue his dream of being a police officer. The idea of working his way up through the ranks was what appealed to him the most. He knew he'd pay his dues, running the shit calls that dispatch would roll their eyes at. He didn't care. It was what he wanted. Seeing his hard work pay off was what he lived for.

By the end of the evening Renee had all but thrown herself at Charlie. Though outwardly cool and calm, Charlie was a complete mess inside. His stomach flipped and turned upside down at the mere thought of going home with a girl as pretty and confident as Renee Dwyer. He was not an inexperienced man but what he felt for this girl in mere minutes caused him to be more nervous than he'd ever been.

While Charlie brought a slow, sensual side to the bedroom, Renee brought a more wild and feisty side with her. As a result, what came from the two polar opposites was a well balanced and highly gratifying sex life.

They dated for a little more than a month before Renee graduated from college and quickly found a nursing job at the hospital in Port Angeles. Charlie had graduated from the police academy and was enjoying the daily –if not hourly- rousing from the guys at being the rookie.

The morning Renee told Charlie she was pregnant was a time in his life that he'd never forget as long as he lived. He was shocked, elated, and taken completely off guard but most of all…he was scared shitless. He had no idea what to expect except that there was a tiny human growing in his girlfriend's stomach and he wanted nothing more than to protect them both. For the first time in his entire life, Charlie did something impulsive. He got down on his knee that morning and asked Renee to be his wife. No ring, no fanfare…just the two of them –well, three really- and a heartfelt proposal. Renee was over the moon excited and accepted his proposal instantly. They married a month later in a tiny white church with only their families and close friends nearby.

The first few months of their marriage were bliss. Though they couldn't afford a real honeymoon, Charlie made their every day special. He'd surprise Renee with fresh wild flowers one day or a homemade cake the next. Renee never told him that his cake was better than hers…and that she knew it. She was a terrible cook and tried to hide it from him as long as she could. All in all, they thought that this marriage was a solid one and couldn't wait to get to the next leg of their journey together.

Isabella.

Isabella Marie.

Isabella Marie Swan.

Isabella would be another high point in their lives together. They could hardly wait to meet her. The day she came into their lives, kicking and screaming, was a scary one. Renee's blood pressured had dropped alarmingly low and Isabella's heart rate sky rocketed. The doctor rushed through the delivery and was eventually able to stabilize both mom and baby. It was a very scary hour, to say the least, but everyone was all right.

Both Renee and Charlie's families crowded around to see the new baby and to listen the frightening story of how they almost lost both mom and baby. Charlie would never openly admit it –being the manly man he was- but he prayed to God during that hour and asked Him to protect his girls.

From the moment they stepped across the threshold with little Isabella in their arms, Renee wasn't quite right. She cried…a lot… more than Isabella. Charlie didn't know what to do with a crying baby, much less a crying wife. He'd ask if there was anything at all he could do to help her but it would only upset her further. After careful discussions with his own mother and mother-in-law, Charlie took Renee to see an expert. She cried when they pulled up at the clinic. Then Isabella cried. Charlie wanted to cry too but kept his wits about him.

Postpartum Depression. That's what the doctor called it. He talked to Renee for a good hour before bringing Charlie and Isabella back into the room. After a brief overview of options, they settled on medication. Renee would be lowly medicated to help balance her mood.

Renee received tons of attention from both sets of their parents, who gave many opinions on the subject of her moods and her medication. It took about a week but Renee was finally able to see through the fuzz that surrounded her head. She apologized to Charlie profusely and promised to be better for him and their baby.

And she was.

~*~TLaDoIS~*~

When Isabella turned a year old you probably wouldn't have found a happier household than the Swan home. Renee was back to her bubbly self and happy to show off their beautiful little girl to anyone who'd look twice. Charlie was thankful to have his Renee back and counted his blessings every day. Isabella was a beautiful and happy baby. Though they weren't really sure which side of the family it came from, Isabella had the most beautiful blonde hair any baby could have. It was a complete contrast to her chocolate brown eyes but it made them stand out all the more.

As soon as she learned to walk, Isabella would teeter around the house just looking for trouble. Bookcases were finally anchored to the walls. Televisions strapped to their stands. Cassette tapes were placed high out of reach of little grabby hands. Isabella was a handful, to say the least, but her mom and dad couldn't be more proud.

A year later, Isabella had to be brought into the hospital where she was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis. It was a serious enough case that warranted the need for her to be hospitalized for several days in order to be treated with intravenous antibiotics.

Charlie and Renee's family and friends rallied around them as they slowly watched their little princess recover. She was too tiny to be in such a big predicament. They felt helpless. Renee, being a nurse, was sick with herself. She should have known the warning signs. She should have been able to see that her daughter wasn't quite right.

Isabella was finally sent home after nearly a week of hospitalization. Their neighbors were so very kind and kept them supplied with enough food to feed an army. They commended Charlie and Renee for being so strong through such a difficult and scary time. Though Renee felt she hadn't done enough, she was encouraged by hearing everyone's praises. They couldn't be more thankful for the wonderful people in their lives. They were surrounded by loving, caring people who always wanted what was in the best interest of little Isabella Swan.

Isabella Marie Swan…their princess.

~*~TLaDoIS~*~

**Props to my girls MandyLeigh87, BellaScotia, batgirl8968 & FicObsessed! I love you all to the end of the earth and back! Thanks for all your help, suggestions and support.**

**Happy New Years! 2012!**


	3. Meeting Bella

~*~TLaDoIS~*~

At the tender age of three Isabella Swan had her daddy wrapped around her teeny, tiny finger. Charlie doted on his little princess and protected her fiercely. But all the muscle in the world couldn't protect her from the terrible illness that seemed to plague her short life.

A trip to the emergency room at midnight here. A three day stint in the hospital there. Isabella was under near constant medical supervision. Between Renee nursing her at home and the doctors and nurses at the hospital, Isabella was used to seeing more adults than children in her life. It was her "normal".

Isabella was just waking from sleep in her too big bed, in her too hot bedroom when her mommy came in to check on her. She wished that her ceiling fan was on to relieve some of the heat but her mommy said it might make her feel worse. So the fan remained still.

She loved her mommy so very much for always taking such good care of her. Especially when she was sick.

"Good morning, Princess," her mommy whispered. She was probably afraid she had another headache and didn't want to hurt her. But she didn't. She only felt a little dizzy. Nothing more.

"Hi, mommy," she replied sweetly.

"Did you have good dreams?"

Isabella nodded.

"Feeling better?"

Isabella nodded.

Renee sat on the edge of Isabella's bed and leaned forward to feel her forehead. She furrowed her brow and pursed her lips after pressing the back of her hand to her head and then her cheeks.

"You're still a little warm, Princess. I'm going to go downstairs and get you some more medicine. Okay?" Her mommy nodded her head with a smile and encouraging eyes.

Isabella simply nodded along with her, worried that if she told her mommy that she didn't want to take medicine that she would be upset with her.

"Good," Renee smiled. "I'll make you something to eat too. Does that sound good?"

Isabella didn't particularly like her mommy's cooking. It always tasted funny. Sometimes her daddy would even make faces and would make her giggle. But her mommy didn't think it was funny.

"Can I has a Pop Tart? A cinnamon kind?" Isabella asked. She wasn't sure how well that would go over with her mommy. She knew that when she was sick, she needed to eat special things that only grown ups knew about.

Her mommy tilted her head and looked like she was thinking about it. A little smile appeared on her lips and she nodded. "Okay. A Pop Tart. But you need to drink orange juice with it. Hmm?"

Isabella grinned really big, happy that her mommy thought she was well enough to not have to have sick food. Except for the orange juice. She hated orange juice. But it was worth the little bit of yuckiness to get the Pop Tart.

"With butter?" Isabella asked. She loved butter melted on her warm cinnamon Pop Tart when it first came from the toaster.

"Of course." Her mommy smiled. "I'll be back in a bit. Stay in bed." She gave her a pointed look.

Isabella nodded. She really wanted to just get up and stretch, but mommy said stay in bed…so she did.

She turned over on her stomach and pulled herself up on her hands and knees. She crawled across her big bed and headed for the nightstand that held the remote control for her television. Once she sat back and settled against her headboard she clicked on the television and surfed for some cartoons.

Her mommy came back with a TV tray and placed it across her lap. When she looked down she saw the butter glistening across the top of her Pop Tart and smiled. Her smile quickly faded when she noticed the large sippy cup of orange juice and little cup of liquid medicine. She didn't like either one of them nor did she want them.

"Isabella, I know you don't like the orange juice but it's good for you. It has lots of vitamins to help you feel better. Go ahead and take a sip," her mommy encouraged.

Isabella twisted her face up into a scrunchy frown but picked up the cup anyway. If her mommy said it would help her feel better, she was willing to try.

She gagged on the first sip.

"Now, Isabella," her mommy scolded. "It's not that bad. Stop being so dramatic."

Isabella wondered if she was drinking the same drink her mommy said tasted good and was good for her. She made another face but brought the cup to her lips again. She held her breath, something she'd learned while eating her mommy's cooking, and took a big drink. She shuddered slightly at the bitter taste running down her throat.

Renee smiled really big and nodded her head. "Good girl. See, it's not that bad."

Isabella nodded but didn't agree. She learned that simply nodding, whether she agreed or not, was the easiest way to get her mommy to stop hovering.

"Now, let's take that medicine and you can have your Pop Tart."

The medicine was pink and she briefly wondered if it tasted like bubble gum. Her mommy gave her the little cup and encouraged her to drink. Isabella drank the medicine and was happy to find out it was one of the better tasting kinds she had to take. She licked her lips clean once it was all gone. Now it was time for the Pop Tart.

"Alright, sweetie. I've got a few things I need to do downstairs. I'll leave your door open and you just come get me if you need me. Okay?"

Isabella nodded, relieved to finally be alone with her Pop Tart. She removed the crust and ate the center first. She liked to save the crust for last. It was her favorite part. She watched cartoons and enjoyed the sweetness of her breakfast.

But she didn't get to eat her favorite part. By the time she got to the second pastry's center she was bolting to the bathroom. Her stomach revolted and heaved. She made it to the toilet just in time.

Renee ran up the stairs with her heart pounding. "Isabella! Oh my…my Princess. Are you okay? Oh, I knew I shouldn't have let you have sweets for breakfast. No more Pop Tarts."

Though Isabella's little body heaved and discarded her breakfast, she thought how sad she'd be if she never got to eat another Pop Tart.

Once she was wiped down, clothes changed and back into bed, her mommy brought her some ginger ale and salty crackers to help calm her stomach.

She looked up at her mommy with tears in her eyes. She hated that she was always sick.

"Oh, Princess. It's okay. You'll be alright," she soothed while hugging her princess and cupping her little face.

The worried look on her mommy's face didn't make her feel better about her sudden stomach bug.

"I'll get you some more medicine since…well since you need a little more now. Then you can rest. Alright?"

Isabella nodded and snuggled into her too big and too hot bed, wishing again that her ceiling fan was twirling so it could cool her off a bit.

More than anything she wished she was like other little girls…not the sick little girl that she was.

~*~TLaDoIS~*~

**Hey! Go and review my stuff! Sheesh! What's an author gotta do around here to get some feedback? *runs off to find little Edward for the next chapter***

~*~TLaDoIS~*~

**So…I have some rec's for you guys!**

**My prereaders are both in the midst of writing stories that are pretty great!**

**BellaScotia has written, An Education **

**www . fanfiction . net / s / 5903446 / 1 / An _ Education**

**Summary: 21yr old Bella has never been kissed. When her bff and room mate Jasper moves out, player Edward moves in. How far will he go when Bella asks him to teach her about dating and sex? Mostly fluffy and lemony, minimal angst.**

**I LUZ IT CUZ BELLA'S TOTALLY IN LOVE WITH EDWARD AND DOESN'T EVEN KNOW IT!**

**AND**

**MandyLeigh87 has written, Wild Horses**

**www . fanfiction . net / s / 7680652 / 1 / Wild _ Horses**

**Summary: They say wild horses should run unbridled or the spirit dies. They weren't meant to be contained. Neither was I. Sometimes you have to go back to who you were to find your place. All it took was one summer. And one smile from a boy I used to know.**

**THIS WILL MAKE YOU LAUGH AND CRY (in a good way).**


	4. What's Your Name?

~*~TLaDoIS~*~

By the age of four, Isabella seemed to be getting a little better. She wasn't nearly as sick as she was in the previous year and she was able to go outside and play sometimes. On a rare sunny day in June, Isabella played quietly outside with her dolls as her mother welcomed the new neighbors. Isabella loved the neighborhood where she lived. It was quiet and quaint and everyone was always so very nice.

The family moving in next door to the Swan's was new in town. Isabella had overheard her mommy and daddy talking about the new doctor taking over for one of her old doctors, . She hoped that the new doctor was nice and gave her stickers like Dr. Gerandy did.

"Hi," someone said rather loudly, startling Isabella.

She looked up from the stair she was sitting on and saw a little boy standing before her. She didn't know this little boy, she thought. But she remembered her manners, like her mommy taught her and said hello right back. Well, sort of.

"Hi," she said shyly. She thought the little boy was kind of cute, even if he was standing directly in the sunlight that was keeping her warm.

"You're really skinny," the little boy blurted out without any type of verbal filter.

"So?" Isabella replied rather tartly. He was getting less cute with every word that came from his mouth.

"Why're you so skinny?" the little boy asked.

Isabella thought about it for a bit. She never really noticed her weight before.

"I dunno," she replied with a shrug of her shoulders. She thought about her answer and continued, "Prollaley 'cause I'm always sick."

"Why're you always sick?" the little boy continued to pry.

She didn't know how to answer that question.

"I dunno," she said, shrugging her shoulders once again.

"Oh," he replied.

He stood there, in Isabella's sun and then shuffled his feet. Isabella wondered what he wanted.

"Wanna play?" he asked just as Isabella was thinking of going inside and watching some cartoons.

She looked up at him once again and decided she did want to play. She hoped her mommy wouldn't be upset. She had been feeling better and hadn't gotten sick in quite some time.

Putting her dolls down, she nodded her head and stood up from her step. "Okay."

The boy smiled and grabbed her hand, as if they'd been friends all their lives. He took off running with little Isabella in tow, toward the swing-set in her back yard. Once they stopped, Isabella was only a little out of breath but so was the little boy. She didn't want to think about being sick again, so she didn't think about it any more.

They hopped up onto the swings and shoved at the ground below their feet to start moving. They swung and laughed. The little boy jumped from his swing and landed on his feet but quickly tumbled forward and landed on his hands and knees. Isabella giggled at the boy but decided not to follow suit. It was enough that she was swinging. She liked to feel the wind in her hair as she flew forward and back.

Standing almost too close to her feet as she swung forward, the boy put his hands on his hips and furrowed his brow with a pucker on his lips. She wondered what made him make such a face.

"What's your name?" he asked.

All the time they were swinging and laughing, she hadn't noticed that they didn't know each other's names.

"Isabella."

"I'm Edward Anthony Masen Cullen," he told her with a nod of his head. He was very matter of fact, this Edward Anthony Masen Cullen.

With that he made his way back to the swing and started the process all over again. It seemed this Edward liked the swinging part but enjoyed the jumping part the most.

"Hey, Bella, wanna play in da sandbox?" Edward asked as he was bent over wiping grass off his knees for the fifth time.

She was perplexed at the name he called her; so perplexed that she stopped pumping her feet to keep her swing moving. She told him her name was Isabella, yet he called her Bella. She thought about it for a second. Then a few more seconds.

"Bella?" he questioned, looking over his shoulder at Isabella to ask again, thinking she hadn't heard him. She'd heard him but it wasn't the question she was thinking about. It was the name he'd called her and the way her stomach tingled when he said it.

She…she _liked_ it.

She grinned and nodded her head in agreement. Her feet hit the ground and helped her skid to a stop. His face lit up and he waited for her to stop her swing completely.

"Race ya!" Edward exclaimed and took off running toward the plastic turtle that covered Isabella's sand box.

She stood there for a beat thinking about the boy and his toughness. He didn't treat her like she was sick but like a normal little girl. She liked him. A lot. She decided right then and there that they would be best friends.

She started running toward the sandbox that Edward was uncovering and declaring his win of getting there first. He was singing some type of song that she'd never heard before.

"Isabella," she heard from the other side of the yard. It was her mommy and she sounded upset. Her voice was kind of loud and a little scary. "Isabella, settle down right this minute."

She stopped running and looked toward Edward who was watching her mommy. He looked a little scared too. But he hadn't done anything wrong. He wasn't the one who was sick. She was. And she was just old enough to know better than to be running and swinging without her mommy or daddy with her, incase she were to throw up.

"Isabella, you need to settle down and get back in the house. We don't want you to get too worked up." Her voice had gotten softer but Isabella was still scared. She really didn't like making her mommy upset and she was sure she was upset.

She started toward her mommy. "Tell your little friend goodbye," she'd said.

Isabella turned back toward Edward and gave him a small wave. "Bye, Edward," she said shyly.

"Bye," he replied from the sandbox, barely looking up from his work of building…something.

"Who's that?" her mommy asked once they were inside. She'd stopped and got a washcloth from the basket as they came through the laundry room entry from the back yard. She took Isabella's hand and brought her into the kitchen where she proceeded to wash her hands and face off.

"That's my best friend," she replied once her face was clear of germs.

Her mommy's eyebrows shot up toward the ceiling. "Uh huh," was all she said as she lifted her off the countertop and back onto the floor. "Well, you've had enough activity for the day. Why don't you go rest on the sofa and watch some cartoons. I'll bring you some ice water."

She nodded and made her way toward the living room to watch cartoons that she really didn't feel like watching.

~*~TLaDoIS~*~

The two weeks that followed consisted of little Edward knocking on Isabella's front door every morning and coming inside to play quietly. But when her mommy wasn't looking they would get a little silly. Edward loved to make Isabella laugh. She laughed at everything he did and it made him want to do it even more. She eventually told him that he was her best friend, to which he quickly agreed. She didn't know then that he had a very large crush on this very little girl.

The Fourth of July was on a Saturday that summer. The whole neighborhood rallied together and decided to throw a block party. Every house was decorated in the most beautiful red, white and blue combinations. Edward and Isabella sat on her front porch and talked about which house looked the best. They both agreed that Mrs. Cope's house was the prettiest. Well, except Edward wouldn't say the word pretty. He was a boy after all and boys don't use such words. Except in his head when he thought about Bella.

She'd asked him once about why he called her Bella instead of Isabella, like everyone else. He simply shrugged his shoulders and said he thought it was easier. He later admitted that he liked to give people nicknames and thought it suited her. He was the only one who ever called her Bella and she liked it that way.

Day turned into night and with it the block party commenced. The Swans and Cullens walked behind Edward and Isabella as they walked them house to house to visit. It was a great opportunity for the Cullens to meet some of the neighbors who hadn't come to say hello and welcome them into the community. The Swans were the perfect couple to introduce the Cullens to everyone. Charlie was, after all, the Chief of Police and Renee was his well known wife who took full-time care of their sick little one.

Edward met more people than he cared to that evening. He really just wanted to hold Bella's hand and walk with her. They rarely got to go outside together but her mommy had made an exception for the party and fireworks. He wondered why her parents and neighbors treated her like she was made of glass. He thought she was just fine. He'd never seen her sick. She didn't act sick.

The evening eventually started to wind down. Little Mary Alice, Edward's younger sister was already asleep on her daddy's shoulder as they made their way back home. They had all planned to watch the fireworks from the front porch of the Cullens home, which turned out best, since the toddler was asleep. Mrs. Cullen came back outside with a blanket in hand and gave it to Edward. "Why don't you and Isabella spread that on the lawn and lay down to watch the fireworks?"

Edward grinned really big and nodded his head in agreement. He took the blanket and his Bella to the front yard. He spread it out the best he could, since it was so much bigger than him. He didn't want Isabella to help. He thought he could do it on his own. The blanket ended up with a big lump in the middle and the corners were folded into themselves. Isabella giggled and finally had mercy on her best friend and helped him finish the task. They lay on the soft blanket with darkness all around them, waiting for the fireworks.

Once the show started the sky lit up the whole neighborhood. The whir and popping sound of the fireworks were followed by sporadic "ooh's" and "ah's". Edward pointed out his favorites as Isabella snuggled into his side. He didn't know why she got so close to him but he wouldn't complain. He liked his best friend close.

By the time the show ended Edward wondered why Bella was so quiet.

"Bella?" he whispered.

Nothing.

He leaned up slightly and noticed she'd fallen asleep. He wondered why she slept through the best part of the night. He pondered as much as his five year old little brain could. It wasn't too late - just nearly his bedtime. He looked closer at her sleeping figure. Her skin was really pale and there was a slight bluish color dusted under her eyes. Those big brown eyes were closed and it was then he could see them sunken in slightly. After taking a close inventory of her, he started to see what everyone else saw. She was fragile.

But he still thought she was pretty

It was in that moment that he started to think of Bella as more than just his best friend.

She was his sick best friend.

~*~TLaDoIS~*~

**Much love to my wonderful team of ladies who I couldn't do this without!**


	5. A Smile's Worth A Thousand Words

~*~TLaDoIS~*~

Edward and Isabella were the best of friends. Anyone who saw them would say it. He was as loud and rambunctious as any little boy. She was as sweet and quiet as any little girl. Though their personalities alone would never have them paired together, their hearts told them different. He was the fun and excitement she needed in her small, sick little life. She was the calm and quiet that grounded him when his silliness got him too carried away.

Come late August it seemed as if Isabella were getting better -enough that the two friends were allowed to play outside on the swing set on those rare sunny days in Forks, Washington – so long as they didn't get too out of hand.

Isabella was envious of her best friend when he showed her his two front teeth were barely loose but loose just the same. She'd giggle when he tried wiggling them with only his tongue. Her tongue glided across her own teeth, to feel for any change with no luck. Her teeth were still firmly planted.

"Bella, watch this!"

Edward quickly twisted himself around in his swing until it was wound so tight that she worried the chains might break. But as soon as his feet lifted from the ground he was in a fast free-spin that he seemed to enjoy as much as his jumps from the very same swing. Once he stopped it looked as if his head was still spinning from the ride he was on. His eyes were unfocused and as wide as his grin. Isabella laughed at Edward as he tried to stand and ran – sideways – into one of the legs of the swing set.

"Ouf."

The sound he made made Isabella laugh even harder. She closed her eyes and had to hold onto her stomach and squeeze her leg together to keep from peeing herself – she laughed so hard.

"Ouch."

That was an unfamiliar word coming from Edward. He never said, "ouch." Isabella stopped laughing and opened her eyes to see if her friend was okay. He had his hand over his mouth and his eyes were wide and brimming with unshed tears.

"What's da madder? Edward? You okay?"

"I dotta doe see my mama," he mumbled through his fingers.

With that he was off - running toward his house before Isabella could blink.

~*~TLaDoIS~*~

One week later, Isabella and Edward were outside once again, enjoying another particularly sunny day. This day their mothers had decided to sit and watch them play together. Little Alice teetered around and wanted so much to play with Edward and Isabella.

"Mary Alice, come back here."

It seemed that Esme was constantly pulling her away from swinging feet or little bodies barreling down the slide.

Edward and Isabella, being much older and wiser than Alice, teased her about how little she was and that she couldn't play with them the right way because of her size and age. Edward even went so far as to mention their impending start of Kindergarten – of which Alice could not partake for many, many years.

Alice was none the wiser -being only eighteen months- and continued to follow the two around as best she could. She adored her older brother.

Once Alice was finally settled in her mother's lap with all attention on her cookie, Edward and Bella were finally able to play without having to avoid her. They sat on the teeter-totter, facing one another and enjoyed their time together. Edward grinned his toothless grin, sticking his tongue through the hole that once was his teeth – making Isabella giggle relentlessly.

"Not so high, Isabella. You don't want to get airsick," Renee called from her lawn chair. She smiled at Esme who didn't seem to think anything was wrong about the two swinging together. "She gets motion sickness really easily," she mildly defended.

Esme nodded her head once, giving a simple "ah" in response. She wasn't one to question another parent about their protectiveness over their own child. She'd nearly lost her cool when Edward came home the previous week with his mouth bloody and two front teeth in his hand. She knew she couldn't protect him from every little thing that was going to happen but it seemed Renee thought she could with Isabella.

Esme decided to change the subject.

"Are you guys ready for school next week? We just finished getting the last of Edward's supply list last night. He's so excited to start."

"Yeah, um… we're not quite ready yet." Renee's too late smile told more than she knew.

~*~TLaDoIS~*~

Esme entered through the main doors of the hospital and headed straight for the gift shop, with little Edward in tow. He didn't understand why it was important to get Isabella a gift just because she was sick. But once he saw the candy and stuffed animals that seemed to overflow from the shelves, he picked up his pace.

"Mommy, why do we gotta get Ithabella a prethent?" he asked his mother while checking out his candy options.

"Why do we _have_ to get Isabella a present," she corrected.

He furrowed his brow in thought and nodded. He didn't think the way he asked was wrong but his mother did, so he tried again.

"Why do we have to get Ithabella a prethent?" Esme smiled and brought her hand forward to push the unruly hair from his forehead.

"Better," she responded.

He didn't know if she meant his hair or his reworked question. If it was about his hair he let it go. He didn't care about his stupid hair.

"Don't you like when Alice brings you a Popsicle when you're not feeling well?"

He thought about it. He really did like Popsicles but when Alice brought them they usually had a few licks taken from them first. He scrunched up his nose at the thought of his little sister licking his Popsicle. But being a rough and tumble little boy he didn't let the idea linger too long. A partially licked Popsicle was better than no Popsicle at all.

He looked up at his mother and nodded with a tiny smile on his face.

"So don't you think that Isabella would like a gift while she's sick, too?"

His eyes lit up and he turned to search the rest of the store for Popsicles. A gentle hand on his shoulder stopped him from getting too far.

"Edward," his mother warned in her warm, motherly, don't-take-another-step tone.

"Mommy," he whined. "I wanna get her thum Popthicles."

Esme smiled and tried to keep her giggle quiet. She didn't want Edward to think his idea was a bad one, just that he needed to be redirected a little.

"I think that's a really sweet idea, baby boy, but the gift shop doesn't have Popsicles."

His little brows pulled together and he thought hard about that. He couldn't understand why on earth they wouldn't have Popsicles.

"How about we look at the balloons instead?"

Balloons? He liked balloons. Who didn't like balloons?

"Okay," he agreed. "And I can have one too?" he asked in a hopeful little voice.

His mother shook her head. "No balloons for you, Edward. We're here for Isabella, remember?" She wanted him to understand the reason for the visit, as much as a five year old could anyway.

He frowned at the loss and folded his arms over his chest with a pout puckering his lips. Esme knew he was being a typical boy but she wanted him to think of others before he thought of his own wants.

She pulled his arms away from his chest and took his hand in her own. He begrudgingly followed behind her with a scowl on his face and a stomp in his step. He was so upset about not getting his own balloon that he refused to help Esme pick one for Isabella. She chose one with a yellow face that had a white thing with numbers on it hanging out of its mouth. It had some words on it too, but he didn't know what they said…and he didn't care. When they turned to leave the shop, Esme handed Edward the balloon.

"Here, you can hold this until we get to her room. Okay?"

The idea of just holding the balloon appealed to him, so he took it happily. She wrapped the ribbon around his hand twice and gave him the loose end.

"Hold on to it tight. We don't want to lose it."

He nodded and squeezed his fingers tighter around the thin string. He carried it proudly through the halls and toward the elevator. He liked to ride the elevators too. It made his tummy feel funny. The fact that the balloon he carried was not his was no longer a thought in his head.

When they stopped at one of the doors, it was cracked open and Edward could hear Isabella crying. He didn't like the sound of her crying. A tear formed in his own eye as he thought about Isabella being sick.

He looked up at his mother and found her looking at him with a sad smile.

"Come on," she whispered and tugged his hand as she opened the door wide.

He sniffled and wiped away the tear with the back of his hand, the ribbon from the balloon scratching across his face.

He peered around the striped curtain and saw Isabella in a strange looking bed. A lady was putting a Band-Aid on her arm and saying something quietly in her ear.

"Look, Isabella. Edward's brought you a gift. Isn't that sweet of him?" Edward followed Isabella's eyes across the room to her mommy, Miss Renee. She gave him a sweet smile, which he returned before looking back at Isabella. She still had tears in her eyes.

He looked up at his mother. He didn't know what to do next. He'd only ever been to the hospital to see his daddy in his office. He was nervous being in the strange room while Isabella was crying.

His mother gave him a reassuring smile and nodded her head. "Go on."

He walked toward Isabella and the strange bed. He thought about how he would feel if he were in that bed and didn't like the idea. He felt sad for her.

"I'm thorry you don't theel good, Ithabella," Edward lisped around his missing front teeth. Isabella liked to look at the hole that once was Edward's teeth. He could stick his pink little tongue right through that hole, without even opening his mouth. They giggled about it on more than one occasion. "I brought you a balloon." He pushed the string toward her tiny hand.

She gave him a smile and he couldn't think of another time he'd seen her smile so big. He liked to see her smile. Giving her the balloon didn't seem like that bad an idea after all.

"What do you say, Isabella?" her mother prompted her.

"Tank you."

She smiled at Edward before looking up at her balloon. She thought the sunny face against the shiny silver was pretty. Though she hated being sick, she thought that seeing Edward ,and getting a pretty balloon were a fairly good way to spend her afternoon.

"Here baby boy."

Esme lifted Edward to sit gently next to Isabella on the bed so they could easily see one another. Isabella glanced at her mother, looking for her approval. When she saw nothing but a smile, she loosened the tension she held and smiled at Edward once more.

He was not nearly as silly and rambunctious as she was used to him being. She didn't like it. He told her about his first day of school and that he'd made a new friend. His name was Michael but that he liked to be called Mikey. Her told her about the classroom and how there were picture of animals and letters and numbers all over the walls. He told her about their teacher, Mrs. Kinsley, and how nice she was.

Edward looked over his shoulder at his mother and Miss Renee. He didn't want them to hear the last part. Once he was satisfied that they were not listening but in their own discussion about weird things like urine, he turned back toward his Bella.

"I mitthed you today. I with you coulda come to thscool like I did. Dey have a play ground with lots of sthwings."

Isabella smiled sadly. Edward could see her eyes brim with tears. He knew how much she was looking forward to going to school.

Edward leaned forward and wrapped his arms around his Bella's neck and gave her a loose hug – too worried that anything harder would hurt her.

She sniffled twice before he let her go and leaned back. He didn't like to see her cry – only laugh and smile. He decided to do something about it.

"Dis girl, Jessica, got a corn stucked up her nose at da lunch table. She cried till it snotted out. It was reathy gross."

The two laughed hard about the poor girl's misfortune.

And for just a few minutes, Edward managed to take Isabella's mind off her sickness.

~*~TLaDoIS~*~

**Happy Breaking Dawn Part 1, DVD Release Day! I plan on being at Wal-Mart at 5am for my copy.**

**Mucho Mucho props to my team who keep me straight! Go check out their stories! They're all great authors too!**

_**MandyLeigh87**_

_**BellaScotia**_

_**batgirl8968**_

_**FicObsessed**_


	6. He Makes It Better

***Looks from behind my BROKEN computer, waving a white flag* Hello! Don't hurt me. I know it took forever and I'm sorry. I hope this chapter makes up for it!**

_**Chapter 4:**_

"_I mitthed you today. I with you coulda come to thscool like I did. Dey have a play ground with lots of sthwings."_

_Isabella smiled sadly. Edward could see her eye brim with tears. He knew how much she was looking forward to going to school._

_Edward leaned forward and wrapped his arms around his Bella's neck and gave her a loose hug – too worried that anything harder would hurt her._

_She sniffled twice before he let her go and leaned back. He didn't like to see her cry – only laugh and smile. He decided to do something about it._

"_Dis girl, Jessica got a corn stucked up her nose at da lunch table. She cried till it snotted out. It was reathy gross."_

_The two laughed hard about the poor girl's misfortune. _

_And for just a few minutes, Edward managed to take Isabella's mind off her sickness._

~*~TLaDoIS~*~

**Chapter 5**

"Ew! No! Don't get near me you gross girl. You has cooties."

"Nuh uh! I do not."

"Uh huh!"

"Nuh uh!"

"Yes you do."

"NO I DON'T!" Isabella screamed from the top of her lungs. The tears that had brimmed quickly disappeared in her anger. This girl, Jessica, didn't know her. Not at all.

Jessica's eyes got wide for a brief second before narrowing nearly into a squint. The girls beside Jessica looked between her and Isabella and took in her new stance. Jessica looked like she was ready to fight.

Since the corn incident, Jessica had unofficially become known as a bully. She felt that the only way to get past her embarrassment of that day was to get angry. In the last three weeks she'd dumped little, skinny Joey's lunchbox on the floor and promptly stepped on his sandwich – effectively ruining his lunch. She told on Angela for copying her school work, when it was she who had tried to copy from Angela. Poor Mikey got he worst of it. She'd once seen him dig his finger into his nose and she never…never let the matter go. He'd quickly become known as the "booger eater", though he continually defended himself saying that he never ate said booger.

Isabella stood before Jessica and her gang with her fists in little, tight knots, her nostrils flaring and breathing harder than necessary. Isabella, too, was ready to fight. Though she was smaller than all of them and probably frailer, she didn't and wouldn't back down. No one -and that meant no one- would make her feel bad for something that was out of her control.

Isabella let Jessica and her group win when she tried to get on the swings and they quickly took them all, leaving no vacant seat. She'd let bygones be bygones when she tried to play on the jungle gym and they told her there wasn't enough room for her to play too. But when she started walking toward the empty sandbox, the girls quickly ran and stood in her way. Isabella had had enough and that's where the confrontation started.

"You're a momma's girl who isn't allowed to leave the house cuz you're always so sick. It's cuz of the cooties and you know it, Is-a-bel-la," Jessica nattered on, emphasizing each syllable of Isabella's name with a tick of her head.

Isabella had finally had enough. Jessica's eyes widened when she realized Isabella wasn't like the other kids she bullied. No sooner had Isabella started toward the group did she feel a restraining hand pull her back.

"Bella, stop. You'll get in trouble. She's just a jerk anyways."

It was Edward. It was always Edward. Her best friend was always there when she needed him. Even when she didn't think she needed him.

"Yeah, Bel-la, stop," Jessica taunted, using Edward's special name for her. "Go back with your little boyfriend before you regwet it."

Isabella quickly slipped from Edward's arms and charged the group.

Fear could be the only word to explain the expression on the girls faces. Isabella was smaller than them but didn't care and was about to barrel into them.

Each girl let out their own individual squeak as they turned and ran away from Isabella, scattering. Jessica seemed to move the fastest, even shoving Lauren aside to get away.

Edward grabbed his Bella's hand –stopping her in her tracks- and spoke quietly to her, calming her down before she got in trouble.

From that day on, no one picked on Isabella about her illness or her appearance. In fact, no one paid much attention to her at all after that. Except for Edward of course. To everyone else, Isabella was just the sick girl who couldn't even start the school year with them –having to arrive three weeks later. To Edward, she was his best friend. And Isabella was more than okay with that.

As the years passed, Isabella and Edward's friendship blossomed into something truly special. Isabella still got sick. Edward still visited her every time, balloon in hand. And under her mother's watchful eyes, Isabella still did everything she could to be a normal little girl.

~*~TLaDoIS~*~

By the time they reached the third grade Edward had mastered tree climbing. So much so that he taken to the tree that grew precariously close to Isabella's bedroom window - even when he knew he'd be welcome if he knocked on the front door.

Isabella lay in her bed watching television when she heard the tell tale noises of Edward and his attempt to climb the tree. She loved that he snuck into the house to see her but it scared her every time he did it. She was convinced he'd fall and break something.

She got up to open her window, careful to tip toe across the hardwood floor, narrowly avoiding the squeaky floor boards. She figured he'd done enough just to get _to _the window, the least she could do was_ open_ it for him. Truth be told, she liked watching him climb the tree and maneuver himself through her window. Though they were only eight years old, she was sure he was the strongest boy she'd ever known. And the cutest. Neither of which she'd tell him.

With a grunt, Edward climbed through Isabella's window, careful to keep the noise to a minimum. Isabella giggled when he whacked his elbow on the frame and proceeded to do a quiet little, spinning dance while holding the injured extremity. Once he was finished he gave her a grin that told her she was forgiven. It was almost as if he'd done it on purpose, just to hear her laugh. He loved to hear her laugh. He felt that she didn't do it often enough.

Isabella was dressed in her favorite blue pajamas that had the puffy, white bunnies on the pants. Edward loved those pants. He thought they were cute, just like his Bella. But he would never dare tell her that.

"Why'd you miss school today? I thought you felt okay yesterday. You shoulda told me if you didn't feel good," he commented as he sat on the end of her bed. Edward worried about his Bella. He had become terribly protective of her – even going as far as to change his entirely planned out day to be with her. Especially when she was sick.

He loved to help Miss Renee with Bella's meals. It seemed she always felt better when he helped. He was sure it was because of the amount of pride he put into each little step. Folding the napkin just so. Putting the right amount of ice-cubes in her soup. Making sure Miss Renee didn't give her orange juice because he knew how much Isabella hated the stuff.

Bella settled back under her covers before she responded shyly, "I felt okay yesterday until bed time." She didn't like talking to Edward about her being sick. But since it was the most prevalent thing in her life…it was inevitable.

"What happened?" he asked in a whisper.

Her face tinged in pink which quickly turned as red as a tomato. With her eyes closed, her face crumbled and her nose scrunching up. Quickly she shook head, silently asking him not to pry any further.

When she opened her eyes, Edward seemed distressed. He hated that she was sick, as much as she did. She didn't like to see him so worried so she down played it, giving him just enough information so he would drop the subject altogether.

"Just…just gross stuff that I don't want to talk about."

Edward blanched at her response for a brief second before coolly rearranging his face. He looked down at the flowered duvet and nodded his head in response.

"Okay," he said sweetly. "I just want you to be okay."

Isabella blushed again at his sweet response. He always knew just what to say. She loved her best friend and thought about how lucky she was to have him – even when everything else in her life didn't seem so great.

**AN: Mucho loves to my giant team that keep me sounding like a real author *hugs***


	7. Silly Lunches With Silly Friends

***Comes out from hiding with a white flag* Don't hurt me! I know it's been forever and I'm soooo sorry. RL is really crappy lately. No excuses. Here's your update my lovelies.**

~*~TLaDoIS~*~

_**Previously in Chapter 5**_

"_What happened?" he asked in a whisper._

_Her face tinged in pink that quickly turned as red as a tomato. With her eyes closed, her face crumbled and her nose scrunching up. Quickly she shook her head, silently asking him not to pry any further._

_When she opened her eyes, Edward seemed distressed. He hated that she was sick as much as she did. She didn't like to see him so worried so she down played it, giving him just enough information so he would drop the subject altogether. _

"_Just…just gross stuff that I don't want to talk about."_

_Edward blanched at her response for a brief second before coolly rearranging his face. He looked down at the flowered duvet and nodded his head in response._

"_Okay," he said sweetly. "I just want you to be okay."_

_Isabella blushed again at his sweet response. He always knew just what to say. She loved her best friend and thought about how lucky she was to have him – even when everything else in her life didn't seem so great._

~*~TLaDoIS~*~

**Chapter 6**

Sometimes years pass by so quickly people look back on their lives and wonder where the time went. Sometimes years pass by so painfully slow people wonder if it will ever end.

By age twelve, Isabella had had so many experimental surgeries she'd stopped counting. Edward knew though. Edward knew that it was nine and the new one that was being discussed would be number ten. At the ripe age of twelve, Edward didn't claim to know everything there was to know but he was sure that another surgery was a stupid idea. Isabella was visibly weak and adding another surgery would make things infinitely worse. He hated the thought of watching her suffer through another surgery and long recovery.

He wished _he_ was a doctor so he could cure his Bella.

It was Isabella's recovery from her previous surgery -number nine- that cemented Edward's want…no..._need_ to become a doctor. Though she wasn't always better, he felt that his help and presence was much needed. He'd seen his Bella get better the more he helped with her care. He was determined to make a difference in her life. What he hadn't really thought of…something that Isabella had never told him…was that he already had.

Isabella had only been home for a few days but Edward could see her continued deterioration. She was weak and needed to eat but she refused. She and Edward sat quietly in her room watching reruns of iCarly. Renee had brought her a bowl of broth, a few salty crackers and a large glass of orange juice. Upon seeing the orange drink Isabella turned her nose up immediately and refused everything before her. Renee simply sighed and placed the tray on the night stand, hoping she'd eat something sooner than later, before walking toward the door.

"At least try to eat a little something? Maybe some crackers," she turned and pleaded. Isabella nodded with a blank stare and turned back toward the television. Renee slipped through the door and downstairs with a tear in her eye.

Edward felt bad that Miss Renee had gone through so much trouble to make Isabella's lunch for her not to eat it. He wanted to help prepare her lunch but his Bella had asked that he stay with her and watch television instead. He'd readily agreed –as per the usual.

"Aren't you even a little hungry?" he'd asked her during a commercial break. It was close to one in the afternoon and his own breakfast was long since gone. His stomach had growled a few times in the last ten minutes but he didn't want to leave Isabella's side.

She furrowed her brow and scrunched her nose up at the thought of eating one more bowl of soup. She was so very sick of soup. "No," she responded in a small voice, still staring at the television screen. But remembering it was Edward by her side and not her mother she decided to voice her grievances to her best friend. She turned toward Edward, who was sharing her propped up pillow. "She knows I hate beef broth soup and she knows I hate orange juice but look," she pointed over toward the blue tray holding said items, "she brings them anyway. If she wants me to eat something she needs to learn how to cook something else. I'm tired of soup. Maybe I wouldn't be so sick if I could have something else to eat. Something…something good."

"Oh," was his only response. They both turned back toward the TV but neither were really watching.

Edward hadn't thought much about _what_ Isabella ate so much as he thought about the fact that she wasn't eating it. Miss Renee _did_ make a lot of soup. After pondering the idea, he thought he'd be sick of soup too…as much as Isabella ate.

With an idea firmly planted in his head, Edward popped up from the bed and threw a quick, "I'll be right back," toward Isabella before shooting out the door, down the stairs and out the front door. Isabella was sure he was just going to his house to eat something much more appealing than beef broth soup and orange juice.

Edward made quick work of removing anything school related from his backpack, dumping the contents onto his bed in a rush. He made it down the stairs from his bedroom in record time, heading toward the kitchen with one goal in mind.

"Whoa," his mother laughed as he zoomed past her. "Where are you off to in such a hurry? And what are you doing with the jelly? Edward? Edward!"

In his haste, Edward had tuned everyone and everything out, set with only one goal in mind. Lunch.

"Sorry, Mom." He had enough sense to slow down and acknowledge his mother before he got into trouble. "I'm taking lunch to Bella. We're gonna have a picnic in her room."

"Well that's very nice, Edward, but don't you think Miss Renee already has lunch planned for Isabella? I can make you a sandwich to take over and eat with her."

Edward shook his head vehemently and turned to finish packing his bag with contents from both the cabinet and the refrigerator. "She made her soup and she doesn't want soup. She _always_ eats soup."

Esme furrowed her brow but dropped the subject. _Surely_, she thought to her herself, _he's over exaggerating._ "Alright, but you bring all this stuff back when you're finished, young man."

He hugged his mother in response before running out the back door and back to Isabella's house.

Miss Renee heard Edward come and go on a fairly regular basis and didn't think twice about the fact that he just walked right through the front door and up to Isabella's bedroom. She thought he'd probably gone to get his own lunch while Isabella tried to eat something. At least she'd hoped she'd eat something, even if it be simply crackers. Isabella wasn't faring well after her latest surgery. She'd drawn into herself more and was much more thin and sickly than Renee imagined her becoming. She was worried for her baby girl.

Isabella heard Edward on the stairs before he basically crashed through her bedroom door. He'd accidentally –on purpose- bumped his shoulder on the door frame, which in turn spun him a few times before he stood by her with a huge grin on his face. Isabella laughed at his silliness and was grateful to have him as her best friend.

Isabella's eyes widened as she took in the items Edward spread across her bed. Ritz crackers, canned cheese, peanut butter, jelly…the list went on and on. He took the tray with the food her mother had brought for her and pushed some of the things around to make more room. She watched with fascination as he took her boring crackers and squeezed the canned cheese onto them with a swirly flourish on top. He made little peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with the Ritz crackers, stacking them neatly into two piles. Finally, he added cheddar cheese Goldfish crackers to her boring beef broth soup. He'd effectively made a mini picnic on Isabella's bed.

She smiled at the thoughtfulness of her best friend. She knew he had to have been hungry but also knew that it was something special he was doing for her. Her cheeks heated a little as she looked to her friend who was beaming with a broad smile, waiting for her approval.

She looked toward the blue tray that now held a wide array of food and her mouth watered. It looked…good. She giggled at the thought of actually enjoying a meal…even if it were a simple one.

Edward picked up a peanut butter and cheese cracker sandwich and handed it to his Bella, while taking one for himself. They toasted to silly lunches with even sillier friends.

After the one sandwich, Isabella realized just how hungry she was. She sampled everything on the tray before deciding that the canned cheese on saltine crackers was her favorite.

About half way through, Edward realized he'd forgotten drinks. He eyed Isabella's orange juice, wondering if she'd mind if he had a sip or two. At that point, Isabella wasn't too proud to have a drink of juice herself. Although it certainly wasn't her favorite, she felt she could sip a little to wash down the peanut butter before stuffing more cheesy crackers into her awaiting mouth.

She picked up the large cup of juice, none too aware that Edward was watching her with envy. She took a sip, trying her best to filter out the large pieces of pulp with her lips pressed just right. She squinted her eyes at the taste but swallowed anyway, deciding the cheese crackers were worth it. As she looked at Edward over the rim of the cup, she realized how rude she'd been. He'd brought her a delicious lunch and hasn't even thought to offer her juice to him.

She pulled the cup from her lips and extended her arm toward Edward.

"I'm sorry. I didn't even think about…do you want a drink?"

Edward thought about it for a mere nanosecond before taking the proffered cup and taking a few gulps.

The difference between Isabella and Edward? He loved pulp in his orange juice while she hated it. He smacked his lips as the cool juice ran down his throat.

"Ahhh," Edward rasped as his thirst was instantly quenched. "Thank you."

He placed the cup back on the tray while Isabella nodded to him in acceptance with a mouth full of squishy cheese.

~*~TLaDoIS~*~

Over the years, Charlie and Renee Swan had reached out to one specialist after another to find a way to help their sweet little Isabella. During an emergency and out of complete desperation they reached out to Carlisle a time or two but ultimately left Isabella's health in the hands of specialists – citing they didn't want to take advantage of their friendship between the two families.

While Carlisle agreed that it would be a conflict of interest, he couldn't help but think it was just too convenient an excuse. Because Isabella had only been in his care twice –and very minimally at that- he wasn't able to diagnose anything specific. But one thing he was sure of…something wasn't right.

~*~TLaDoIS~*~

Surgery number ten went as well as could be expected. Dr. Michael Rowland had made quick work at removing Isabella's appendix. Though he wasn't originally positive that it was the cause of her problems he was certain that, given Isabella's poor health, it was probably in her best interest. He had only been brought in on the case a few days prior. His colleague, Dr. Zuckerman, had presented the patient's issues, past surgeries and unexplained illness' with a weary look in his eyes. He could tell that his friend was at his wits end. It wasn't like Benjamin Zuckerman to give up but it seemed this one case could be his exception. Michael agreed to help in the matter as long as his schedule allowed.

It was then that the two man team was formed. They vowed to study the patient's case more closely and get to the bottom of this little girl's problems.

~*~TLaDoIS~*~

As Isabella awoke from her stupor she noticed two small but happy details. One, her mother was nowhere to be seen. Two, her single balloon from Edward was tied around a bag of Pepperidge Farm Cheesy Goldfish. She felt a flutter in her tummy at Edward's thoughtful gift. As she started to fall back to sleep she wondered what the butterflies in her stomach meant.

**Leave me some love!**

**AN: Oh so very much thanks to my wonderful team of ladies ( MandyLeigh010, BellaScotia1, batgirl8968 & AddictedToFic) who probably have enough going on in their lives to deal with me…but they do anyway…and I LOVE them for it. Everyone welcome my newest beta AddictedToFic. I will miss my old beta FicObsessed but she's got a full RL right now. I wish her all the best.**


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